1.19 Death Party

Chapter 19

Following the first Dungeon Breach, and the subsequent newscast that went out to the wider world, things ended up changing rather rapidly.

The regulations regarding Rift Hunters being ironed out, was the first.

With public knowledge of the military holding Hunters against their will, and using family members as hostages, even if that wasn’t one hundred percent the truth, there was enough outcry to spur the government into action. And not just in the New States Union, but other countries across the world, in Europe, Asia, South America and some changes even in Africa.

All over the world new laws were put into place regarding what control could be put on, and what freedoms, Rift Hunters would have.

Such as, no Rift Hunter would be solely “owned” by a government or corporation. We were considered contracted agents, similar to professional athletes. We negotiated duties and salaries to form an agreement.

It sounded simple, of course, but it was far more complicated than just a contract. As the changes took place, new RHI’s (Rift Hunter Incorporations) were made, affectionately nicknamed as “Guilds” by Hunters and the wider public alike.

Luckily, with all these changes, my fellow lab rats and myself were freed from our cheese cave abode and allowed to live among the wider world once more, no more military conscription applied.

But these are all things you already know. I don’t really need to tell you how your world ended up where it is. Still, I think it’s important I tell you how things went for me in the timeline.

I’ll just move on.

I still had my apartment, and I happily saw my parents return to their house in Greater Montana. Assurances of protection or not, I was far more relieved to know they weren’t under the purview of the military any longer.

“Are you sure you are alright, dear?” My mother said over the phone.

“Yes mom, I’m fine. It sounded a lot worse on the internet than it really was, I promise. And that’s all behind us now, okay.” I changed the channel on the TV as I continued the phone call. News about Dungeon Portals, Hunters, the Pittsburgh monster breach, and the new regulations, dominated every channel.

“Okay, I’m sorry for asking so many times, it’s just with all this new System business and these monsters…”

“You don’t have to worry about me, just help dad okay, he needs you more than I do right now.” I stopped flicking through channels as a familiar face popped up on the screen.

It was Barry’s smiling face, wearing a pressed white suit and standing behind a lectern as he gave a speech. Below him on the screen, text rolled by slowly.

“First ever Rift Hunter Incorporation, Paragon Guild, established by Legendary Hunter Barry Schilling”

Just off his left shoulder, was the same woman I had watched speaking at the congressional regulatory hearing a few weeks ago. It turned out her name was Clara Reedtz, Danish apparently, a congresswoman from Maine. She was probably the most outspoken supporter of the Rift Hunters in the country.

Which made little sense to me back then, but later the reasons were far too obvious. But again, hindsight and all that.

“I know, this has been put off far too long, I just still don’t think your dad is ready,” my mother continued.

“I don’t think any parent is ever ready for something like this,” I said.

I turned off the TV, Barry’s jovial grin collapsing into a thin line and into blackness, before casting my eyes to the large standing mirror in the corner of the room. I couldn’t look at my face, my gaze only going to the brand new black suit and black tie I wore. As I told you before, I couldn’t manage to look at myself again, especially not that day.

I picked a piece of lint off my sleeve and blew it off my finger. Everything needed to be pristine for today. Although it was largely ceremonial, and I knew I’d be bombarded with waves of condolences that I didn’t want to hear, being there was important.

It wasn’t everyday that you attended your twin brother’s funeral, after all.

“I’m so sorry for your loss.”

It was a sentence I’d heard maybe three dozen times in the last hour. It was almost aggravating at that point. But I knew I wasn’t the only person hearing such a phrase in that room, my mother and father, standing only a couple steps away from me, was also positioned before a long line of attendees waiting to say the same to them.

This wasn’t the only venue where such a scene was taking place in the city, let alone across the country, or the world. The number of deaths since the start of Earth’s initiation by the System had climbed up into the millions of casualties, and it would only get larger as time went on.

So, I couldn’t be pitying myself like I was someone special. We all had people we wanted to protect and love, and we all felt sad when we lost them. My grief was no more powerful than the pain felt by Reitlin or Mathews parents. The difference was, I’d killed those men, not some monster, or accidental explosion.

I choked down the mixture of sadness, guilt and anger that was mixing inside my throat.

“Thank you so much.” I said back with a strained smile. The person nodded and wandered off, the next in line approaching me.

“Hey man, sorry about your brother,” a large hand clasped my shoulder and brought me into a half-hug. “It’ll be alright.”

“Norton?” I guffawed at the man as he let me go.

The large healer was wearing perhaps an entire store’s worth of black fabric in a surprising nicely tailored suit. Behind him, Dupree, Huwett, and Vasquez all wore similarly appropriate attire.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“Francis, Angela, Brandon?”

“Didn’t think we’d leave you dealing with this all alone did you?” Barry stepped out from behind the small group, his pearly white suit from the newscast having been replaced with a dark charcoal, though he still wore an eggshell tie.

“I didn’t know that you knew,” I said honestly.

“Of course we did,” Francis chimed in. “Well, actually, your mom called Barry, and he called us.” He waved over to my mother with a smile, who nodded and gave a half wave back. Francis accepted the effort she gave and didn’t push for more.

“Can we talk?” Barry asked. “I know it’s kind of a bad time, but—”

“No, it’s fine, I needed a break anyway.”

I was thankful for the excuse to get away, and guided them all to another room where we had a bit more privacy. Though I could still see the proceeding of Alex’s vigil through the large open doorway.